Manchester United's Chris Smalling: Boss expects us to win treble

MANCHESTER UNITED players have been urged by their manager to put their foot down for the remainder of the season in a bid to win the treble.

Chris Smalling is hoping victory tonight will give United impetus to go all the way in the FA Cup

Sir Alex Ferguson is eyeing up a repeat of the annus mirablis of 1999, when United surged to a glorious Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup treble.

United can keep the treble alive tonight if they can get past Reading in the FA Cup tonight, with the reward being a quarter-final cup date against Chelsea if Rafa Benitez's side keep to their end of the bargain and win their fifth round tie.

Reading have never won at Old Trafford before and have recorded only three victories in their last 15 away games in all competitions.

And defender Chris Smalling says there is an air of expectancy at Old Trafford, in terms of triumphing on all three fronts.

Sir Alex Ferguson is gunning for the treble

The manager has stressed that he expects to go to the end in all three competitions

Chris Smalling

He said: "The manager has stressed that he expects to go to the end in all three competitions.

"The FA Cup is notoriously unpredictable. Luton reached the fifth round this year, which shows that anything can happen so there is no point looking too far ahead.

"But our home form has been good and another victory can give us the impetus to kick on and get to another final."